GIANTS NOTEBOOK / Johnstone's Vindication

Reliever John Johnstone's strikeout of Colorado first baseman Todd Helton in the eighth inning yesterday felt special for a number of reasons.

First, it prevented Dante Bichette from scoring the tying run from second base. Second, Johnstone undoubtedly remembered he gave up a three-run homer to Helton that helped the Rockies come back from a 7-1 deficit in the final scheduled regular-season game last year. Third, and perhaps most important, Johnstone felt a sense of accomplishment yesterday because he thought Bichette was signaling Helton from second base with pitch locations -- a big baseball no-no.

Helton fouled off several two- strike pitches before he lunged and missed at a neck-high fastball that was three feet outside.

"I wanted to throw the ball up as hard as I could," Johnstone said. "It was a weird-looking swing."

Bichette denied the charge of pitch-tipping.

"Didn't Todd strike out today?" he asked. "They can look at the films. I've never done that in my life. I wish I were that good."

RUETER MOVED UP: In the best tradition of getting right back on that horse, tomorrow Kirk Rueter will take the mound in Montreal one night ahead of schedule.

Manager Dusty Baker shuffled his rotation slightly to get Rueter back on the mound after the left- hander threw just 31 pitches and allowed five runs in one-third of an inning against Colorado on Thursday. Last year's team leader in victories, with 16, is struggling at 1-1 with a 13.50 ERA.

Pitching coach Ron Perranoski worked with Rueter since the last start to change his delivery in a way that will make his pitches sink more. Rueter believes his biggest problem has been too many pitches up in the strike zone.

"I really need to establish my sinker down to be more successful," Rueter said. "I want them to hit it, but not when it's up. I just want to find the right arm slot to keep it down on a consistent basis."